Recall
by Ryssasaurus Rex
Summary: It's different this time. That's the thought that has been with Link for as long as he could remember, but he's never known what it meant until one fateful trip to Castle Town for the coronation of Princess Zelda throws his life into disarray. His destiny is calling him as friends old and new help him along his way. (eventual Groose/Link/Zelda) [warnings and notes within]
1. The Courage to Begin

**A/N:** So I've been wanting to write LoZ fic for ages and I decided to use a headcanon of mine as a basis for one. I'll leave more info in later chapters, because we're only just getting started here, but if you have any questions as to what's going on feel free to drop me a message, I'll answer it as best I can without being too spoilery.

**Possible Warnings:** canon-typical gore and violence, reincarnation Loz Myth Freeform (if anything needs to be added feel free to tell me via comment)

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Teeth, sharp and numerous, spiraling down into the dark. A piercing howl from a deep dark place long forgotten by the world and forsaken by the Goddesses. Fire and screaming winds and the heavy pounding of horse hooves on lifeless earth. Calls for help and a crying child. Cold ringing laughter. The hollow sound of a musical instrument. The howl of a wolf and the bellow of a whistle. A great sea turned black and the air vanishing.

A single voice in the distance, so very familiar, saying "It's different this time."

There was a scream that sounded suspiciously like his own as Link tumbled from his bed, limbs tangled in his sheets for the third time that week. It wasn't the first time he'd had that dream, he'd been having it and ones similar to it for years. It was the first time he'd had it so many times so close together, though. The spiraling teeth were a recent addition, too.

Rubbing his head where it'd knocked against the floor Link untangled himself from his sheets and tossed them back on the bed in a heap. He never could get back to sleep after one of those dreams; he didn't even bother trying anymore. He wished they'd stop. On top of the inability to fall back asleep after one (no matter what time of the night he woke up) they also came with two things: an impeding sense of danger and that voice.

It's different this time.

That thought had been with Link his whole life, as long as he could remember. It felt like it was a part of him, like that phrase was a piece of his very being. He didn't know what it meant, though. He had no idea what was different this time. He had tried asking some of the adults when he was a child, but they didn't understand what he meant any better than he did. It didn't take long for Link to just accept the small whisper in the back of his mind and not talk about it anymore. Whatever was different sure felt normal to him.

The voice in his dreams had been around as long as the thought. The sound of it was more familiar to him than anything. Even now, as he dressed for the day, it echoed around in his head.

"Different, different, different," Link muttered pulling his shirt over his head. At least it seemed to be some time after dawn which was lucky, it meant he'd probably gotten a decent amount of sleep. "What's so different about today? Nothing, same as any other day."

As he buckled up his belt there came the sound of a tiny fist pounding on his door followed by a less tiny voice. "Link! Link are you awake!? We're gonna miss the coronation!"

Was that today? Link walked over and opened his door, resulting in a pair of children, Mido and Fado, falling to the floor at his feet. Raising an eyebrow Link helped the two kids to their feet. He'd completely forgotten about the coronation ceremony. He'd agreed to come along to lend an extra hand in keeping the gaggle of kids Rusl was taking to Castle Town safe. Between wild animals and the recent talk of bandits Link wouldn't feel at ease sending them off on their own. Rusl was good with a sword but one man could only do so much.

"Come on! We gotta go!" Mido insisted, pulling at Link's arm. "Uncle Rusl already has the cart all packed up!"

Pulling his arm free Link shooed the pair of children out. "Go on, they're not going to leave without us. I'll be right there."

They called for him to hurry up as they dashed out of his small house. Smiling he finished getting dressed, this time prepared for a trip. As he secured his sword and the wooden shield he'd been carving for the last few weeks he was hit with a pang of homesickness. He didn't pay it much mind, writing it off as another weird side effect of his dream. After checking to make sure all of his windows were closed and locked to keep mischievous woodland critters out he closed his door behind him and headed towards the front gates of town where everyone was waiting.

Mido and Fado were clambering into the cart excitedly as Malon, the rancher's daughter, worked to settle them down. Malon was just a year younger than Link and helped around the village as much as he did. Between the pair of them there was always someone to help wrangle the kids in and help tend to the odds and ends around the small town. The villagers liked to whisper and nudge each other about the pair of them one day settling down together, which Link and Malon both thought was ridiculous. Malon had her eyes set on a merchant boy that came from Castle Town once a week to exchange goods.

Seated next to Malon, looking for all the world like a small, excited dog, was Colin. He was Rusl's son, though by looking at the two one would never think to guess. Where Rusl was sturdy and dark haired Colin was puny and fair. Also unlike his father, Colin was soft-spoken and reserved. Rusl always said Colin took after his mother, but that he was sure Colin would fill out once he got older. Link supposed that was true, he'd been a lanky child hardly able to lift a sword when he was Colin's age.

"Sleep late again, Link?" Rusl laughed as he came around the cart leading Epona towards Link. "I got her all saddled up for you. Be careful though, she's been a bit jumpy today."  
Link looked over his horse in concern. Epona was usually a calm and well-behaved horse. If something was spooking her it was worth noting. Rubbing her neck Link hummed the song Malon and himself and made up for her. It almost never failed to calm her down. "What is it girl? It's just a trip into town."

Epona whinnied and tossed her head but otherwise remained still. Rusl came up beside Link and gave the horse a pat. "It's probably all the commotion that's getting to her. She'll be fine."

Link nodded and mounted her as Rusl went to climb onto his own horse that would be pulling the cart full of children. He didn't think Rusl was right, but there was no point in talking about it any longer. It was over an hour ride to Castle Town and they were already falling behind. If they wanted to actually see the coronation they'd have to hustle and hope no bandits took interest in them.

As they made their way through the forest toward Hyrule Field Link couldn't help but notice how quiet everything was. Bird calls and the chattering of tree dwelling critters all sounded far away. Even the Dekubaba didn't rear their ugly heads until someone came close enough to nearly step on them. Thankfully, Rusl seemed to notice as well and was on his guard.

Once they cleared the woods, however, the world seemed to burst into life. People were pouring into Hyrule Field, all ready to go and see the princess receive the crown. The unsettling quiet of the forest went forgotten as the excitement of the day filled everyone. The kids began calling out to passing travelers, both on horseback and foot, waving and smiling as if they were the ones receiving the crown today. It was nice to see them enjoying themselves, Link thought. They didn't get outside of their small village very often, being out like this must have felt like they were traveling the world.

Leaning down Link patted Epona's side. "There, see, nothing bad is happening." In response she tossed her head back knocking hers into Link's. "Ow! Now that was uncalled for," he grouched. "See if you get any carrots when we get home." Epona's only response was a huff and to trot several paces ahead of the cart.

Seeing all the people throughout Hyrule Field Link began to relax, sure that bandits wouldn't be fool enough to come barreling into a group of travelers just for the sake of one cart of loot they weren't even sure to get away with. Looking up into the clear sky Link thought that the Goddesses must have liked the princess to bless her with such a beautiful day to be coroneted on. Link remembered the stories some of the adults told about the last coronation and how there'd been thick fog and an awful chill. Princess Zelda was a lucky girl.

Epona was his first hint that something was wrong. She'd stopped walking and was pawing at the ground. It was when Rusl called him back towards the cart that Link noticed what the trouble was. To the west a horde of Bulblins were headed right for the travelers.

For a moment Link gaped in surprise. The Bulblins hadn't come down from the mountains for years, the last time Link had heard of them causing grief in the field he was a small child. Something awful must have happened to drive them down.

Link was suddenly grateful that Rusl had thought to attach a bow and a quiver of arrows to Epona's saddle. Link refused to stray too far from Rusl and the others, but at least this way he could help others that weren't so fortunate as to have a swordsperson handy. Everyone was rushing full speed towards Castle Town where armored guards would be able to protect them with relative ease. Taking careful aim Link let loose an arrow and knocked off a Bulblin that had been clinging to the side of a woman's wheelbarrow. As the Bulblin fell, tripping up two of its fellows, Link notched another arrow and shot at another that was grabbing at an elderly man's walking staff. He shot a few more arrows, watching as occasionally a fallen Bulblin would trip up those swarming behind it.

Unfortunately, they weren't as dumb as they looked. Packs of them had started heading directly towards Link, and by extension Rusl and the kids. Link hated to separate from them but Castle Town was drawing ever closer and they'd have a better chance if Link drew the attention away. Setting his bow aside Link drew his sword. He was a better swordsman on foot, but Epona gave him an advantage in speed as well as the fact that she wasn't scared to trample over the pint-sized little monsters.

"Get into Castle Town!" Link called over to Rusl as he turned to head away from them. "I'll find you once everyone's safe!"

Malon leaned over the side, her face white with fear. "Link no! It's too dangerous!"

"They need my help!" he called back already moving away from them. He'd seen a handful of people pull out swords to defend themselves and others and Link didn't feel right fleeing into the town while there were still people that he could help. Rusl and the sheer number of people fleeing from the horde were enough to reassure Link his friends would be safe.

"Be careful boy!" Rusl called as he continued racing toward town. Out of the corner of his eye Link saw him draw his own sword, ready to protect the others.

Taking a deep breath to steel himself Link tightened his grip on his sword and spurred Epona onwards. Link was a far cry from a warrior or soldier but he knew his way around his blade and horse. They raced along the front of the horde, Epona's heavy hooves more than intimidating enough up close to cause a few to slow down to try and avoid getting crushed. He used Epona's girth to keep the majority of Bulblins at bay while slicing at any who managed to slip by or who were daring enough to attempt to dislodge Link from the saddle.

There were at least six or seven others, swords, axes, and shields flashing within the fray attempting to keep the Bulblins back from the largely defenseless crowd, but none of them were trained fighters and though they did slow the monsters' progress they couldn't halt it completely.

Just as Link was beginning to fear that they had failed to keep the horde back there came a cry from the town as a group of guards came riding towards them, armor shining in the sun. Relief flooded through Link and he turned back to the monsters with renewed vigor. After the guards joined them it was quick work before the few Bulblins that were left fled, returning to the outskirts of the mountains.

Several of the people who had stayed back to fight jeered at the retreating monsters, waving their weapons and mocking them. The group closest to Link consisted of a redheaded man, short and potbellied, holding a blade too small to be called a sword, a woman with dark hair and skin and eyes of gold reattaching a bow and empty quiver to her horse's saddle, and a man, tall and thick with muscle, most of his face hidden in a mass of beard and lightly colored, unruly hair with an axe still in his hand.

"Oi!" boomed the large man, his voice as deep as Link thought it'd be. "There's the lad who knocked the wretch from my father! Come here, lad! Let me get a look at you."

Link and Epona trotted up to the group, Link dismounting her to give her a rest. Epona had never done something so strenuous and Link already saw where she'd gotten a few cuts, though they thankfully seemed to be superficial if he kept them clean.

The potbellied man looked Link up and down. Now that Link was closer he could tell the man was older, his face weathered and wrinkled from age. "Bit short, isn't he, Berach?"

The woman laughed as she dismounted from her horse. "Hush, Aodh, you've got no room to talk." She moved over to Link and extended her hand. "I'm Tuva," she said as Link shook her hand. "The short one is Aodh, you don't need to pay him much mind, and the large one is Berach. We're from Kakariko Village near the mountain."

Link smiled and inclined his head in greeting. "Nice to meet you all. My name is Link, from Ordon in the forest."

Berach clapped a large hand on Link's shoulder, nearly knocking him to his knees with the force, the man stood nearly as tall as Epona. "Link, my lad, I owe you a great debt for aiding my father when I was unable to. I'd have been there if I hadn't been so foolish to go make small talk with a pretty woman across the way," he said, regret obvious in his voice. "You ever have need of anything, you just call on me."

Link smiled up at the man and meant to reassure him that he didn't need to worry about debts, he'd only been doing what was right, when a pair of guards approached them. "Does anyone require medical attention?"

Link took stock of himself. There was a small gash on his arm and he could feel bruises all over his body that were sure to look as bad as they felt in the morning and his sword arm was sore from use it wasn't quite used to, but he was otherwise unharmed. "My horse could use some fresh water and salve," he said, gingerly patting Epona's sides, mindful of her injuries, "but I'm well enough."

Tuva and Berach were also fine, and Tuva's horse looked to be covered in more blood of the monsters than its own. Aodh, however, requested a ride into Castle town and a look over for a nasty slice on his leg. Link thought it didn't look life threatening, but it could certainly turn out to be if not treated. They followed the pair of guards over to the rest. There were fifteen guards in total along with ten travelers holding whatever weapons they'd been fortunate enough to bring.

Most seemed unharmed, with only light scrapes and sore muscles. There were two other people being carried back to Castle Town along with Aodh; a young man, probably about Link's age was already bandaged up around his torso, and an elderly looking man who was still clutching a club with a pair of spikes jutting from it, his arm being set in a makeshift cast until proper medics could see to him. All in all, Link thought, it could have been much worse.

The troop led them the rest of the way into town, telling them that the princess had insisted on opening the ceremony with congratulations for their brave deeds. As they made their way through the crowded streets people cheered for them, calling out thanks and well wishes, calling them heroes. Link could feel his face and ears warming up at the attention and ducked his head as he made sure to keep in the center of the small group of fighters and as out of sight as he could. He caught Tuva smiling at him and it only served to deepen his blush.

Soon the buildings gave way to a grand open space. There were banners and streamers everywhere, people packed together cheering and excited as the guards delivered the fighters to the foot of the stairs that lead to the walkway before Hyrule Castle. Link had never been so close to the castle before and couldn't stop himself from gaping up at it. The pristine, white stones gleamed in the sunlight and the flags waved merrily in the gentle winds that blew above them. It was a truly breathtaking sight.

As the gates opened in front of them Link spotted the princess, flanked on each side by three armored and spear-wielding guards. She wore a gown that swept the floor, and golden jewelry and a tiara that together were probably worth more than all of Ordon Village. Her hair seemed to glow golden in the sun and as she drew closer he could see a warm smile set on her face as she looked at the group of travelers before her.

It's different this time.

Link frowned. This was no time for him to be hearing that cursed voice. He was standing before the princess of Hyrule after fighting a horde of Bulblin, he was uneasy enough without the added nerves that the voice always brought with it. He took a deep breath and watched as the princess paused just outside of the gates and looked over the small group. It was probably Link's imagination, but he could have sworn he and the princess had locked eyes, if only for a moment.

"People of Hyrule," she spoke, her voice ringing clear through the air, silencing the cheering of the people in the streets. "Today you have come to show your love for me and this kingdom, and for that I am ever grateful. But danger overtook you during your travels and I am ashamed to say I was not prepared to defend you like I should have. However, you seem to have your own champions amongst you that are more than willing to lay down their lives to defend the defenseless and protect those who cannot protect themselves.

"Today, before honor is paid to me, honor I only earned through birth, we will honor the courage and strength of those who stepped forth and looked danger in the face and defied it. Come forth, you the heroes of today, the backbone and strength of Hyrule." The princess beckoned them forward and one by one they went up the steps to stand before their princess and receive whatever thanks she saw fit to give them.

Different.

Link schooled his face into a polite smile and ignored the sudden and overwhelming sense of urgency that came over him. It wouldn't do to cause a scene in front of everyone.

"I, Princess Zelda of Hyrule, thank you, my heroes."

When the princess inclined her head to bow to them more than just the cheering of the people rose from the silence.


	2. The Wisdom to Proceed

**A/N:** Oh hey I should totally update this thing shouldn't I?

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"Are you okay, princess?" asks her handmaid, worry lacing the elderly woman's face.

Zelda turns her head and smiles. "Yes, I'm fine." The kingdom just looks like it's on fire, she thinks to herself. The illusion is gone, though, when she turns her gaze out the window and she hopes it stays gone.

The sun was just beginning to rise over the treetops, bathing Hyrule Field and Castle Town in soft light. It was the morning of her coronation and everyone was telling her the nerves were normal. She sighed before turning away from the window. She didn't bother telling anyone that it wasn't just nerves. She felt like she had been waiting for something her whole life and that it would be there today. Something was coming, she knew it. But there was no time for baseless worry, Zelda had duties to attend to and a kingdom to greet.

There was a frantic knock at Zelda's door. The guard behind it was almost opening it before Zelda called for him to enter. "Your highness! Bulblin, in the field," he gasped, out of breath. He must have run to her from his post. "They're attacking the travelers!"

Zelda felt her jaw drop. The Bulblin hadn't been down from their mountain home in years. "Send a platoon to help them, make sure everyone gets within the town walls and give medical aid to anyone who needs it. Hurry!" The guard was gone in a clatter of armor and chainmail.

For a moment Zelda considered postponing the coronation, but at this point, with the town already brimming with travelers there to see her, it would have done more harm than good. Wringing her hands she paced the length of her room. She'd known something was going to happen. She knew to trust that voiceless warning she sometimes got in her chest, the heaviness and dread without cause. It hadn't failed her since she was a child; there was no reason for her to have ignored it now. Silently, she hoped that this would be the extent of the damage, even as she knew that there was something more to come.

After a few moments she allowed her handmaid, Anju, to finish helping her prepare, all the while wishing that the biggest problem she'd have to deal with was a rainstorm like her mother's before her. As things were being prepared she made certain to have guards posted wherever she could think to place them and a dagger tucked under her cloak. She refused to present herself helpless before whatever it was that loomed in the distance. It wasn't much of a defense, but it would serve to at least calm her nerves enough to keep her voice steady.

Anju watched Zelda smooth her gown over the dagger. "Princess, is that really necessary?" she asked reproachfully. She directed Zelda over to the vanity and sat her down. "You're going to be surrounded by guards and adoring subjects," she said as she brushed out Zelda's hair. "I don't really think such a thing should be on your person for such a day."

Zelda sighed. Even though Anju had been with her for as long as Zelda could remember, she had never really taken Zelda's sixth sense for approaching trouble seriously. Anju was a practical woman, someone who needed proof and reason in her life. She didn't think the Goddesses meddled in the lives of the people and she didn't believe that magic was more than a parlor trick for the vendors in the streets. Zelda couldn't hold it against her. If Zelda hadn't had such unexplainable things surrounding her she would probably feel the same way.

"I know you're worried, my dear, but every heir goes through this. I promise, everything will be just fine," Anju cooed as she threaded her hair up in a traditional style, braids twisting and overlapping into a complicated weave.

Zelda took a deep breath and tried to forget the vision of her beloved town ablaze.

There was a light tug at her hair that had nothing to do with styling it. Zelda turned to look at Anju. The old woman was smiling at her, eyes filled with pride and love. From the pedestal it had been sitting on all day Anju picked up the tiara Zelda would wear to the ceremony until it was switched out with the crown of the queen. Without a word Anju nestled it atop Zelda's head, sliding it expertly into her hair.

Zelda took a look into the mirror. It had been over a year since she'd had a reason to wear the tiara. It looked out of place on her head, too grand and fragile for her. Unable to face her reflection Zelda looked down at her hands. It was still morning and already she couldn't wait for this day to be over.

A gentle hand came under her chin and lifted her face. When she and Anju were eye to eye the woman smiled. "Keep your head up, princess, or the crown falls."

It was the same thing Zelda's mother used to tell her whenever the young princess became disheartened. Carefully, Zelda's fingers traced the top of the tiara, remembering how her mother would let her prance around the castle with it on holidays or how she'd wear it as she readied for bed almost every night. Zelda smiled to herself, the small decoration was far too grand for her as she was now, with its memories of love and laughter.

Zelda nodded, more to herself than to Anju. Whatever it was that was looming towards her kingdom was not going to make her shrink back in fear. She'd face this darkness like the monarch Hyrule deserved. She stood, smoothed out her gown once more, her hand lingering on the place where the dagger was hidden, and started out of her room. There was a small tradition to be upheld in private before the public ceremony and if she wanted to be on time she needed to begin.

Before she left she turned to Anju and smiled. "Thank you," she said. It wasn't enough for all that the woman had done for her, not even close, but it would do. "When the guards return from helping the travelers bring them and anyone who helped fight back to the front gates of the castle. I want to thank them myself."

"Of course, princess," Anju replied, curtsying and busying herself with tiding Zelda's already clean room. The guards wouldn't dare interrupt the private ceremony and Anju was plenty qualified to pass on orders by Zelda's request.

The corridors in the castle were busy, servants and workers running this way and that, each with a place to be and things to do. No one paid her any mind aside from a polite nod or a quick, passing greeting. She was glad for it, Zelda wasn't sure how she was holding herself together through the nerves that were threatening to overtake her. She might have broken down if someone had asked something of her at the moment.

Each and every monarch of the royal family, on the day of their coronation, made their way down into the depths of the castle to where the fairy fountain stood. The name was misleading as Zelda had never seen a single fairy anywhere in the castle, and as she drew up to the fountain she failed to see any there. The fountain was known as a place for the royal family to seek guidance from the Goddesses. It was tradition to come down to the fountain and ask the Goddesses to bless one's reign. It was customary to ask for peace or good fortune for the kingdom. Zelda had planned on requesting prosperity for the people, but things had taken a dark turn the last few days. She couldn't ignore the insistent sense that darkness was fast approaching.

Zelda removed her shoes and dipped her bare feet into the water. It was ever only a few inches deep, the water never even wet her ankles. She took a few steps towards the statue that stood in the center, a depiction of the three Goddesses as they created the mighty Triforce of legend. She gazed up at it, looking into the eyes of each Goddess in turn – Din, Nayru, Farore.

"Please," she spoke. "I beg of you to help me protect this kingdom. Whether a blessing or a curse you have given me the ability to sense danger and I can feel it. Darkness is coming to my kingdom today and I cannot hope to face it on my own." The statue remained still and unresponsive. "I beg of you, my Goddesses, grant me the courage to face this darkness, the wisdom to combat it, and the power to keep my people safe. This is my prayer to you on this, my coronation day."

She stood a moment more, hoping that she would be given some sort of sign that her prayer had been heard, but the statues remained statues and Zelda had her people to greet. She turned to leave, but paused for a moment, one foot already out of the fountain's water. "They're your people as well," she said without turning to face the statue. She left it at that and hurried back up towards the busy castle.

Zelda made her way towards the front gates of the castle where a group of seven guards waited for her. Six she knew were to flank her during the ceremony, the seventh she could only guess had some sort of message for her.

Upon hearing her approach all of the guards straightened up. Once she drew even with them one took a step forward, inclined their head in way of greeting, and spoke. The voice was young, a newer guard then, probably from one of the watch posts. "The travelers are all safely within the town walls, a group of them helped in battle, ten in total."

"How many require treatment?" Zelda asked. These people had put their lives in danger just to come watch a crown be placed on her head. The very least she could do was care for their wounds.

"Only three, your highness," the guard answered. "And they've all been attended to and will be taken to the physician after the ceremony."

Zelda frowned. "And why not before?" Battle wounds were no small matter, even a simple scratch could turn deadly if infected. She would have to see to it that all of them were seen to, just in case.

The guard looked nervous, he'd probably never spoken to royalty before, let alone about such important matters. Zelda also knew she could come off as quite severe when she got worked up. She tried to school her expression into impassivity.

"Um, well, they insisted, your highness. They were treated on the field and then insisted on bearing witness to your coronation, deferring any further medical treatment until afterwards."

If she were a less controlled person Zelda would have screamed. Did her people really put so much importance upon her that they would ignore their own needs?

One of the other guards stepped forward. Zelda recognized him through the armor, he'd been in service since she was a child. "Let us begin," he offered. "Sooner we crown you as queen the sooner we can go about making sure everyone is safe and taken care of."

He had a point. The wounded would get themselves looked after that much quicker if she got this over with. She'd have to send out a platoon to make sure everyone made it back to their villages and towns safely as well. She'd make sure something like what happened earlier didn't happen again.

"You're right," she said. "Let's begin."

Outside the sun was bright in the clear sky and the cheer of the people in the town carried through the air. There was such a sense of joy and excitement around her that for a moment she could almost think that the dread that had settled in her chest was nothing more than the nerves people kept promising her it was. As she made her way down the paved path towards the front gates she couldn't help but smile upon seeing the group of people who had stood up and fought to keep their loved ones and strangers safe. She looked at them each in turn, bruised and a bit dirty, but strong and proud, as they should be.

One boy, short compared to the others with blond hair, caught her eye. He stood out among the group and Zelda's gaze lingered on him a few seconds longer than the others. She didn't think anything of it, he was young, probably about her age, and already brimming with the courage to protect.

It was time she thanked them, made it very clear that these people were what made her kingdom great. "People of Hyrule," she called, her voice even as it rang across the crowd, quickly hushing them. She praised the people, both young and old, who had defended their fellow Hylians. It really was the truth when she said that the strength of the people was the true strength of her kingdom. Everything Hyrule was came from them, not her or the crown.

Smiling she looked out at the crowd, people from all over had gathered, come together to share in the joy of their monarch. Zelda had never felt more like royalty than at that moment. She could feel the love her people had for her and she could only hope that she would never let them down.

"I, Princess Zelda of Hyrule, thank you, my heroes." As Zelda inclined her head towards the fighters and great cheer rose from the crowd.

The joy of the moment was drowned out almost immediately by screams of terror. Zelda's head snapped up to look out at the town. She thought for a moment that somehow some stray bulblins had made it within the walls, but unfortunately the reality was far worse.

Huge moblins were forcing their way through the crowd of people, knocking those who couldn't move out of the way fast enough to the sides. In the second it took Zelda to realize what was happening she knew, without a doubt, that this was it. This was what she'd known was coming and it was only the beginning. Fear welled up inside of her, but more than that she felt anger burn in the pit of her stomach. How dare someone harm her people.

"Guards! Stop them!" She had no idea how the moblin had even gotten inside the gates, let alone this far into the town.

Her questions were answered as soon as the guards cleared the steps leading to the castle. A vicious bolt of lightning struck the ground, thunder cracking through the air. All around people screamed as they tried to get themselves to safety. Behind the horde of moblin rode a man in dark armor upon a black horse that looked more like a demon than anything equine. Only his eyes could be seen and Zelda felt her blood chill as she saw them, red as blood.

Zelda felt her hands ball into fists. "Get as many people out of Castle Town as you can, hurry!" She didn't wait to hear the guards obey her, she needed more than just a dagger if she was going to be of any use, even in protecting herself. Swords adorned the halls just inside the castle, if she could just get back there she'd at least be armed.

Luck, it seemed, was not with her today. No sooner had she turned to try and get back to the castle when a moblin wrapped its filthy hand around her arm. She shouted in surprise and quickly reached for her dagger with her free hand. Unnecessary indeed, Zelda thought as she buried the small blade hilt-deep into the meat of the monster's arm. It released her with a cry of pain and she made a run for it. She'd only made it a few steps before the beast was after her again. She had a second to curse the restraining outfit she wore before the monster that was chasing her cried out in pain again before falling silent.

"Your highness!" Zelda turned around and was met with the young boy who had caught her eye earlier. He had managed to mount himself back upon his horse in the chaos and his sword was drawn, already covered in the blood of the moblin he'd just slain. "Princess, you need to get out of here, the moblin are all over the town, it's not safe for you!"

When everything had settled Zelda would allow herself more than a passing second to feel the fear and sorrow of knowing her town had fallen, but right now, she needed to get out and find a way to save it. She pulled her dagger free form the moblin's corpse, unwilling to leave behind her only means of defense, and held out her hand to the blond on the horse.

He looked taken aback for a moment, but his face was set as he reached down and pulled Zelda onto his horse behind him. As unladylike as it was Zelda hiked up her dress until she could settle properly on the saddle. They would need to be fast, and falling off the horse would help no one. The young man was already moving, keeping away from the moblin as best he could and slashing at any who got too close. Zelda knew he must have had friends or family in town as well and she felt guilty that he was helping her rather than them, but with the current situation, none of it could be helped.

Keeping a watch on her surroundings Zelda noticed a bow and a quiver with a handful of arrows in it attached to the saddle. Without bothering to ask she grabbed the bow and notched an arrow. There were bulblin terrorizing the crowds as well and some of them had begun to follow them. They were faster than the moblin and if they caught up with them from behind her riding partner wouldn't be able to do anything to stop them.

The young man noticed her taking aim. "Can you shoot that?"

As if to allow her to prove her point a bulblin jumped at them and it would have landed on her if she hadn't shot an arrow into its chest. She looked back at the boy. "I'm a princess, not helpless."

He didn't say anything in return, just flashed her a quick grin before focusing on where his horse was heading. From what Zelda could tell it looked like he was trying to get to the main gates, nearly on the other side of the town. They'd never make it there, though, he had to know that. "How many times have you been to Castle Town?"

He looked back at her, obviously confused as to what that had to do with anything. "Uhh, a few times? Why?"

"You're trying to head back out the way you came in, right?" The young man nodded, still looking confused. "We'll never make it."

He frowned at her, looking like she'd just insulted him. "We've got to try, we can't just give up!"

"That's not what I'm saying," Zelda continued. "Follow along the castle walls, there's a smaller gate there that leads to the northern canyons. It's mostly used by traveling merchants so I doubt it's too infested with monsters."

Understanding lit up his face and the boy directed his horse along the walls of the castle, just like Zelda had instructed. They still had to fight their way through but before long they could see the gate and Hyrule Field beyond it. Zelda had tried to be sparing with the arrows but she was down to only two and that was bad news.

"I don't suppose you have more arrows tucked away here somewhere," she asked as she notched her second to last arrow and took aim at a bulblin that was racing towards them.

"Sorry to say I don't, Princess." He sheathed his sword as he spoke and gripped the reigns with both hands. "Hold on tight!" Zelda hardly had a second to throw one arm around the boy's waist before he had his horse galloping at a small group of bulblins that were attempting to block off their escape. The horse they were on was big enough to plow right over the ones it couldn't jump over and they were in Hyrule field before long. They slowed down slightly, just enough for Zelda to feel safe letting go and firing off her last two arrows at two bulblins who had nearly grabbed onto the horse's tail.

"Head into the canyon trails," Zelda said. "We'll lose them in there."

"You got it." They never made it that far, though. There were more bulblin waiting for them between the rocks, they turned and tried to get back out into the field where they'd be able to maneuver easier on horseback, but there were more monsters at every turn. "They were planning this!"

Zelda set the bow back in its place and held on to the young man in front of her. This wasn't right. "Bulblin don't plan," she said. They were far from mindless she knew, but nowhere near as clever as they'd have to be to pull off an attack on anything more than a small, lonely village.

"Did you see that man in the dark armor?" he asked as he directed his horse to weave between the jutting rocks and high canyon walls. Even as they moved Zelda knew they weren't getting out without help from the Goddesses themselves.

"Yes, what about him?"

They turned a corner and found themselves trapped against a wall of rock higher than Castle Town's and a small opening already swarmed with bulblin and moblin. The boy turned his horse to face the horde as they slowly crept towards the trapped pair. "I'm willing to bet he's behind all of this."

He was probably right, now that Zelda thought about it. Not that it did them much good to know. It wasn't going to get them out of the trouble they were in and it certainly wasn't going to make the monsters back off. They were as good as captured, or maybe even dead.

"Can you ride on your own?"

"Wha- yes, I can. Why?" Zelda had a sinking feeling she knew what was about to happen.

Just like she thought he would, the young man dismounted and drew his sword. "Her name is Epona," he said. "She's a smart horse, she'll get you back to my village. You should be safe there for a while."

Zelda knew she should protest, tell him that there had to be another way, but as the horde drew closer she knew it was a lie. Taking the reins in her hands she settled herself better and looked at the boy who was ready to face down monsters just to give her a chance to escape. And she didn't even know his name.

"Get ready to run as soon as you see your chance, Princess. Epona has no problem stomping over the little ones, just run them through."

"You-" she cleared her throat. "Call me Zelda, you deserve that much."

He looked up at her and smiled, his cheeks tinged pink with either shyness or exertion, she couldn't be sure. "Thanks," he said. "I'm Link."

Link. It was a simple name for a young man. Hearing his name Zelda felt calmer for reasons she couldn't name. For a second she felt like she might have known him from somewhere, but it passed and he turned to face the beasts that had moved closer. She hoped he would survive, come and find her in his village, and that they would work to stop the darkness that had begun to spread in Hyrule. Something in her told her that might just be a possibility.

"Ready?" Link asked before he began to charge at the closest moblin, a battle cry on his lips. He disposed of his first target and three more with ease that impressed Zelda. Link was an amateur swordsman, that much was certain in the way he moved and how young he was, but he was good with it. Zelda could almost see him, younger, scrawnier, as he struggled to lift a small blade above his head. Link was no seasoned warrior, but Zelda was sure he and his sword had seen many, many hours of practice.

Link managed to fall two more monsters before they swarmed him, snapping the wooden shield he'd been using and knocking him back at Epona's feet. He was back standing as the horde started to rush them and Zelda was certain they were going to tear them to pieces. Zelda pulled out her dagger and held Epona's reigns with one hand. If she was going to die she would be fighting until her last breath. That much was for sure.

She wouldn't have to, it seemed. As the bulblin and moblin closed in on them, scarcely ten feet away, there was a faint whistle heard before the front few were blown to bits. Several more arrows laden with bombs followed in quick succession, blasting the monsters away. The few that didn't meet with an explosive end retreated, valuing their lives more than whatever orders they might have been given. Within minutes Link and Zelda were standing alone amongst the smoking remains of the monsters they'd been about to lose their lives to.

Zelda slid herself from Epona's saddle and stood beside Link who was scanning the higher areas for more enemies, sword still battle ready. It was a smart thing to do. Zelda would have been more alert herself if she'd had it in her, but with everything that had happened that day she was proud of herself for even being able to stand.

There was movement from above as a man, taller and broader than Link, slowly made his way down to their level. He was dressed like a desert nomad in tough, thick fabric in several shades of red and brown and a large scarf tied up that obscured his face. Atop his head was shocking red hair that stood up at the front like a fin and Zelda wondered if it was on purpose or just an effect of the desert winds.

The man pulled his scarf down and away from his face and grinned at them. He was young, probably about their age. His face was mostly unweathered by the wind and sun and his eyes were a bright golden color. He looked friendly enough but Link moved in front of Zelda and held his sword at the ready. Their new visitor noticed the hostile body language and stopped.

He smiled sheepishly at them and held out his hands. "Hey easy, I just saved you, you really think I'm a threat?"

Link eyed him up but didn't back down. "I didn't think Castle Town was going to be invaded but here we are."

"Was it the man riding a demon horse?" he asked, putting his hands back down at his sides despite the fact that Link still looked ready to attack.

Zelda narrowed her eyes at the stranger. "You know him?" Maybe Link was right and they shouldn't trust this man.

"No! Not really," the stranger said quickly. "He came through the desert almost a month ago, ruined a lot of stuff. He headed towards the canyon and that was the last anyone heard of him. I didn't think he'd come this far."

"Well he did," Zelda snapped. It wasn't this stranger's fault. He had saved their lives even though the desert nomads had no allegiances to the crown of Hyrule. Whether she liked it or not both she and Link were indebted to him. "Who are you?"

That, of all things, had the man blinking in surprise before he chuckled and took a few more steps towards them. "Funny, but this is no time for jokes."

Link had straightened up, his sword was still out but he looked less likely to gut the taller man. "Do you know him?" he asked Zelda. She shook her head.

The redhead stopped and looked between the pair of them. He looked… _hurt_. "No, seriously, quit playing around. It's me, Groose."

Link frowned at him. "I don't know a Groose or any desert people." Zelda didn't either. Whoever this man was he thought he knew them. She wished they did because the longer he looked at them the more hurt Groose seemed to become.


	3. The Power to Believe

**A/N:** Thanks again to the wonderful Captain Indigo for once again doing a fantastic job of BETAing the hot mess that is my writing!

Sorry this took so long to get out, I just got distracted by literally everything else, but between current comments left on this fic and me buying the Wind Waker WiiU I've been hella in Zelda mode (not to mention the sudden new information about Hyrule Warriors!). So I managed to blitz this chapter and hopefully I'll have the next one out in less than 5 months this time. Anyway, enjoy!

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His whole life Groose had had dreams of the sky. He rode a great bird through the clouds and jumped from flying islands without a care. He was a child of the sky, and he wasn't the only one. Other children with birds all their own laughed and worked and flew beside him.

Sometimes he dreamed of an old temple slowly being reclaimed by the lush forest around it. Those dreams were sometimes the most beautiful and always the most frightening. Dark shapes moved in the shadows of the trees and a monster dwelled in the center of a huge pit, ready to devour anyone and everyone.

There was a hero and a goddess in his dreams, too. Both were golden haired and bright as the morning sun. They were brave and kind and Groose's dearest friends. Most importantly, though, they were real. Groose knew this like he knew his own name. He knew them like he knew the forest – he'd never seen it before in his life, had never so much as stepped foot on its soil, but he knew there was a forest and he knew there was a hero and a goddess.

Link and Zelda were real and he would find them.

His mothers and aunts told him to forget his dreams, they tried to assure him that they were the wild figments of a child's imagination. Groose knew better and he knew one day he'd be able to prove it. Until then he remembered his friends silently, kept them close to his heart and swore that one day they'd be together again.

Years past and Groose became a young man, tall and broad shouldered. He was a hunter and a maker of fine bombs. He was surrounded with love and family and had never truly wanted for anything. As he packed his horse he held back tears. He'd left a note for his mothers, promising that he was fine and that he would be back one day. He begged them to carry on without him and to let him do what he needed to do, they were fine before he came along and they'd manage once he was gone. He hated himself a little for disappearing into the night, but something was calling him and he couldn't ignore it.

Mounting his horse he rode off into the desert with only his gut to guide him. He could hear the displeased tones of his mothers in his head telling him what a fool he was being, but Groose knew that this was the only way he'd ever be able to find his way. There was no map that could lead you to your destiny and somehow Groose knew that was exactly where he was headed.

Three days into his journey and he was running low on everything, even faith in himself.

There should have been something by now, Groose thought. Some sort of sign or a break in the monotonous span of the desert sand. The best he had gotten were a few rocky outcroppings that hardly met his waist. Sighing he sat himself down on a weathered rock. He'd followed his instincts out into the middle of the desert without thinking about it. He'd packed provisions for only a few days thinking that the border of the desert couldn't possibly be that much further away. Yet, here he was, sitting on a rock in the middle of nowhere.

"You look lost friend," a voice said from behind him. Groose was on his feet, pulling his sword free within seconds.

A woman stood several feet away from him. She was covered in a cloak, all but her face, lightly wrinkled and heavily wind worn, hidden from Groose. She didn't look dangerous, but Groose had lived in this desert his whole life and he knew exactly how deceiving looks could be. He kept his sword up and ready. "Who are you?"

The woman smiled at him, as if she were pleased that he was asking her who she was. "I am a Sheikah. My name is Impa."

Groose faltered for a moment. He knew those words, those names. He knew them in the same way that he knew Link and Zelda's. They were just there, a part of him quietly humming beneath the surface. He didn't lower his sword, a life time of suspicion bred into him, but he did listen.

Something about his expression must have changed because the woman, Impa, began to take steps towards him even though his sword was still pointed towards her. "You have known me, haven't you?"

"I've never met someone named Impa before in my life," he said. It was true, he only knew the name as a distant memory that was more like a dream than anything, but this was the first time that someone had acknowledged that outside of trying to tell him he was an imaginative little boy.

She continued to smile at him, stopping just short of his drawn sword, its point aimed directly at her chest. "Not in this lifetime, perhaps."

"What are you trying to say?" Groose asked. He could feel it, something was coming, just over the horizon, and he knew that this woman was going to lead him to it.

"The Goddesses have called upon you," Impa said. "They called you out into the desert and they will continue to call you to your destiny."

He felt himself lower his sword without really meaning to. He knew what Impa was saying was ridiculous, the Goddesses were stories, legends made ages ago to guide the masses. They were nothing more than glorified fairy tales, but Groose couldn't help but feel like he knew exactly what Impa was talking about. Something in him screamed that she was telling the truth, that she knew all the answers to the questions that had followed Groose around since he was a child. He had no proof to back up his thoughts, but he didn't have much more than dreamlike memories to prove that Link and Zelda were real either.

His destiny had been what had called him out here to begin with, that gut feeling that he was needed somewhere. "You said something about this lifetime. What did that mean?"

"Follow me, Gerudo Prince, I'll explain everything."

Groose felt his jaw drop. He'd made sure to leave behind anything that could link him back to the Gerudos. He loved his family, but they weren't exactly loved by everyone else and Groose wasn't fool enough to test people's temperaments towards his people. Impa didn't seem bothered by it, though.

"How did you know?" he asked, following her, leading his horse along. The sun was beginning to set, casting everything in a harsh, red light. "How do you know any of this?"

Impa kept walking, not even looking back at Groose as she spoke. "I do not remember my past lives like you do," she said. Groose wondered if he was imagining the hint of sadness in her voice. "But I have been given clear instructions as well as visions. You are the key to ending this cycle, Groose. You are the difference that will change the fate of Hyrule."

Groose almost stopped in his tracks. No, Impa was wrong. He'd tried that before when Zelda had fallen from the sky and he'd followed Link after her. He'd learned his lesson last time. "I'm not the hero."

This time Impa did look back at him, a sly smile on her face. "No, my friend, you are not the hero."

See? Groose thought to himself. He remembered helping, he could help again. But Impa was speaking again before Groose could get too lost in his own thoughts. "You are, however, a hero, and a very important one."

They didn't speak again for the rest of their day long trip. Groose followed after Impa through the night and well into the next day. They had left the desert behind before the sun had risen and were pressing their way through a forest that Groose hadn't known was there by the time the sunlight was strong enough to filter through the thick canopy. Groose was exhausted, but, like Impa had said, he was the Prince of the Gerudos and it would take a little more than fatigue to stop him.

As they continued into the forest the foliage grew denser and by what Groose judged to be midday his horse was having trouble navigating the leaves and roots. Impa noticed this as well and suddenly changed their course. It wasn't long before they reached a large clearing. Grass and low shrubs grew all over and a brook was running through it, filling the air with the sound of running water. It was an amazing sound, one of Groose's favorites. In the desert he so rarely got to hear it.

"You can leave him here," Impa said, reaching up a surprisingly slender arm to pet Grus' flank. "He will be safe."

Groose didn't want to leave his beloved horse alone in a strange place, but Grus seemed content in the field and they couldn't very well continue on their way with him unable to make it through the forest.

"It's not much farther," Impa assured him, noticing his reluctance.

"Right, okay." He took his supply bag off of his horse and slung it over his back. "You be good now," he said to Grus before patting him farewell. He and Impa continued back into the woods, slowly picking their way through the thick underbrush. Impa had been right, hardly a quarter of an hour later they were stepping out of the forest and onto the unkempt courtyard of what must have been a grand temple years ago.

The building itself seemed simple. Ivy crawled up the face of the temple, covering most of the stone work and what Groose could see used to be stained glass windows. There were spires at the front corners, though one had broken, the rubble only visible as moss-covered mounds at the temple's feet. The back of the temple rose up higher than the front, a single tower standing tall above the rest. It was more like a cone-shaped dome than a tower, though. It was wide, wider than the entrance to the temple.

Groose knew he had never seen this place before, not in this life or his memories, but he still felt like he knew it. Something told him there was safety there, a sort of refuge from the nameless, faceless threat that was pressing down upon the world. Groose's steps were careful, almost reverent as he approached the tall double doors into the temple. He laid a hand on the door, thick wood worn down by the elements and covered in ivy, and he could feel the power of the temple, like the breath of a great beast. It was calm and unassuming, but huge and for a second Groose was sure it would swallow him whole.

Without a sound Impa was standing beside him, looking up at the temple's face. With both hands she pushed one of the doors open, its old hinges creaking and groaning in protest. Groose followed her inside. The temple was dark, most of the windows were covered in plant life and no candles were lit. The floor was covered in a thick layer of dust and dirt, and Groose could see cracks along the tiling and walls where time had taken its toll on the building. For all its disrepair, though, the temple was still awe inspiring and beautiful. Groose could hardly imagine what it must have looked like in its glory.

The front hall of the temple was empty for the most part. In the center of the room was a raised, stone platform. There were dozens of symbols carved onto it surrounding the largest symbol Groose recognized as the Triforce. As he looked around Impa began to light lanterns and hang them around the hall. There were no other doors that Groose could see, save for another pair as large as the ones at the front of the temple in the back. They must have led to the huge tower Groose had seen.

He moved towards them, prepared to push them open and see more of the temple when Impa stopped him with a hand on his arm.

"They will not open for you," she said. "All three of you must open those doors together."

Groose didn't need to ask who all three were. "Where do I find them?"

"You must let the Goddesses guide you to them. Like you allowed them to guide you into the desert," Impa said, her tone implying that Groose should have already known that. "It is different this time."

Groose frowned at her. He didn't know what she meant by that and he didn't feel the urge to go, there was no pulling at his gut to tell him to move like there had been before. Frustrated, he paced the temple. Impa left him alone, stepping outside without a word. How was he supposed to let these Goddesses lead him anywhere if they weren't even trying? Groose flung himself down upon the raised platform and stared up at the ceiling.

Large chunks of it had fallen off. Several holes in the roof allowed some sunlight in, though the shadows were still prominent. It looked like there might have once been painting on the ceiling, probably illustrations of Hyrule's legends and history. They must have looked wonderful, all freshly painted and alive with belief. The Gerudos didn't believe in such things. They had no Goddesses or legends. The closest thing they had was the promise of their king, one male born every hundred years.

What was it like to believe in something you had never seen or heard?

It occurred to Groose that he knew exactly how that felt. He believed in Link and Zelda. Never in his life had he ever met them, but he knew, without a doubt, that they were out there somewhere. If he believed in them why couldn't he trust in those Goddesses?

Suddenly, like he'd been struck with lightning, icy cold worry shot through him. Suddenly, he knew exactly what he needed to do.

Groose was on his feet and out the temple's doors in seconds. He called for his horse, whistling shrilly in the shade of the forest and he ran back towards the desert. He didn't know his way through the forest and while he trusted his gut that he was needed, he didn't trust it to navigate him through the crawling foliage. Besides, he'd be much faster on horseback. Grus burst onto the trail alongside Groose and the young Gerudo prince swung himself onto his back. They had places to be.

As soon as he broke free of the tree line Groose steered Grus towards the canyons. If he crossed over them that would be the furthest south he'd ever gone in his life. He pushed through his exhaustion until well into the night. Grus was tired and Groose knew that if he didn't at least get a few hours of rest he'd be useless against whatever it was he was rushing into. He tucked both him and Grus into a small alcove and settled down for the night.

His sleep was far from restful, but it was better than nothing he told himself as he stretched, feeling his back pop like some old man. He hated sleeping on the stone hard ground, but now was not the time to complain. It was about half a day's ride to the castle that sat at the heart of Hyrule. The cold shiver of fear hadn't left him yet, and he knew he had no more time to wait around. Mounting Grus he set his sights on the horizon. Just beyond it was Hyrule Field and his destiny.

It was strange beyond words, knowing that he was about to look his fate in the eye and all but run head long into it. Even stranger that he was finally going to find them, the two people he felt like he had known as long as he'd lived but had never met. Had they looked for him? Did they know his name and face? Did they dream of flying with him in the sky like he did? Groose decided that it didn't matter.

They had a bond and Impa and the Goddesses wouldn't have sent him after them for nothing. They were waiting for him, he could feel it in his bones.

Immediately, he knew something was wrong. The field had always been described as a quiet, peaceful place, tranquil really, but what Groose saw as he was cresting the high outcroppings of the canyon was chaos. Vicious little monsters were swarming, chasing each other and small groups of people all over the place. Groose felt his stomach drop, he was too late. Whatever danger had been looming in the distance had struck before he could reach Hyrule.

Dismounting Grus and leaving the horse on the far side of the canyon, taking only his bombs, bow, and filled quiver, before quickly scaling and scrambling to the other side. There had to be a way for him to help, there just had to be. As he scanned the field he caught sight of a flash of yellow weaving between the rocks where the field and canyon met. Keeping to the tops of the outcropping Groose followed the sound of shrieking moblins and the beat of hooves. It was the same something that had brought him out into the desert to meet Impa that was urging him to tail that flash of yellow.

For a moment Groose lost sight and sound of them and it felt like his stomach had been filled with stones. Dread clutched at him and tried immobilized him, but his instincts pulled him forward, screaming at him that he had somewhere to be. So he followed it, nothing to guide him but a nameless, voiceless urging.

Maybe Impa was on to something with that goddess talk of hers, he thought as he spied a pair of people trapped by a horde of bulbin and moblin. A girl in a gown sat upon a horse while a boy pulled out a sword and turned to face the horde. He really needed to find Link and Zelda, but Groose couldn't leave these two to meet their end. No matter how good with a sword this kid was he was horribly outnumbered.

No one had noticed him yet, so he used it to his advantage and made quick work of fastening some small bombs to the arrows he had with him. They were his specialty and could deal devastating damage if they landed in the right place.

By the time Groose took aim the boy with the sword looked like his energy was flagging and it was that, seeing him beaten up and tired but swinging a sword all the same, a fierce look of determination on his face, that made Groose recognize just who he was looking at.

It was Link fighting and Zelda astride the horse. He'd found them at long last, it was almost too much, and now, he focused on the approaching monsters, he was going to save them. Pulling back the first arrow Groose took aim at the handful of monsters that were advancing. He let it loose and didn't wait to see if the arrow had hit its mark before pulling another back and firing off a few more, one after the other. As the smoke cleared Groose spotted a handful of the beasts scampering away, valuing their lives over victory.

Taking only a moment to make sure his bow and quiver were secure, Groose made his way down the sloping side of the rock wall. The slope was steep, he doubted he'd be able to get back up without the aid of climbing tools. He was amazed with himself for every step he took that didn't send him tumbling down in a mess of limbs and rock.

When he finally made it to level ground he could hardly believe what was happening. There they were, frightened, and a bit beat up, but alive and real and right there. It was almost too much. Grinning like a fiend Groose pulled away the scarf that he wore to protect himself from the harshness of the desert.

His smile only lessened slightly when Link moved to shield Zelda, who had gotten off the horse while he'd been climbing down to them, from him and readied his sword. It was alright, Groose told himself, he didn't really look like he had in his past life. The clothing made the man and his desert garb was admittedly a bit intimidating, especially with the way the Gerudos and Hyrule got along. Desert folk weren't exactly renowned for their friendliness.

Groose stopped short and relaxed his face into something hopefully reassuring, lifting his hands. "Hey easy, I just saved you, you really think I'm a threat?"

The look of distrust in Link's eye hurt, but he and Zelda had just been through quite a lot, Groose needed to understand that. "I didn't think Castle Town was going to be invaded," Link said, voice full of accusation that Groose had only ever heard a handful of times. "But here we are."

Who in the world would have the power to invade Castle Town, the place was built like a fortress. A memory of dark cloth and an evil aura passed through Groose's. A demon-like horse bearing a rider who looked just as likely to have crawled from the Underworld itself as any dark legend come to life. "Was it the man riding a demon horse?" He tried to keep his voice even, to sound strong for his friends, to be reliable in all the ways he hadn't been before.

It was Zelda who spoke next, her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "You know him?"

The foggy memory of young love swam up through Groose, flustering him as much as the accusation. "No! Not really! He came through the desert almost a month ago, ruined a lot of stuff. He headed towards the canyon and that was the last anyone heard of him."

The man had ruined one of the few desert towns and torn apart a caravan before Groose and his riders had been able to chase him out of their territory. He'd headed towards the canyon and at the time not even Groose could have been bothered to care what became of him. There were people in need to help in his kingdom and in his mind Hyrule had been more than equipped enough to handle a single rider, even as terrifying as he'd been.

How wrong he had been. "I didn't think he'd come this far."

"Well he did!" Zelda snapped, her voice like the crack of a whip. She seemed to regret her harshness and Groose couldn't hold it against her. If the gown and tiara adorning her head were anything to go by she was the princess and she'd just watched a large part of her kingdom fall.

Maybe this was fate, to join Hyrule and the Gerudos as one united force, unstoppable in the face of everything. His musings on an alliance were brought to a screeching halt when Zelda spoke again.

"Who are you?"

Groose came up short for a second, the question not really registering to him. He took a few steps closer to them, Link had lowered his sword a bit even, surely she was joking. "Funny," he chuckled uncertainly. "But this is no time for jokes."

Link gave Zelda a confused look. "Do you know him?"

No. No way, this could not be happening right now. Groose felt the world titling on its axis beneath him. They knew who he was, they had to. "No seriously, quit playing around. It's me, Groose," and the way his voice cracked on his name was disgusting.

Link frowned at him, confusion so familiar in those blue eyes of his. "I don't know a Groose or any desert people." Beside him Zelda looked at Groose, unknowing but sad, like she wished she knew him just so he wouldn't be hurt.

Their faces, the way they spoke – it was all so painfully familiar to him. Waves of once muddle memories became harshly sharp, as if he'd only just lived them yesterday. The laughter of young children in a floating paradise, great birds carrying them through crystal skies dotted with white clouds, the sensation of falling, as familiar as breathing almost. It was all there and it was real and Groose didn't understand!

"Why?" his voice was cracking still and his throat was tight. He wouldn't cry, hadn't since he was a boy, but he'd never felt so broken. "Why are you saying that?"

Now even Link was looking at him with concern, his face open like it always had been. Link always wore his heart on his sleeve.

It felt like the memories were choking him, piling up inside of him one on top of the other. Terrifying winds, plummeting through clouds that had seemed so impenetrable all his life, a lush forest hiding a darkness that made everything in him quake with instinctual fear. Zelda, radiant, beautiful Zelda, safe after so long. Link, brave and foolish and strong standing beside her. He remembered them.

"Maybe you have us confused with someone else?" Link tried, stepping close enough to almost touch.

Groose didn't want to hear it, he knew it was them, knew it like he knew the sky was blue and the desert afternoons were hot. "No, you're Link, right? And she's Zelda. I know who you are," he insisted. "The problem is that you don't know me."

He swallowed the acidic taste of loss and allowed the slowly building burn of anger spread through him. Impa had sent him out here and even though she shared a name, maybe even a soul, with Granny she was not the same wise old lady he had protected in the old temple beneath the clouds. She would have answers for him, though, had better have some answers.

Resisting the urge to pull his hair out he began to pace. "She sent me out here," he muttered. "She had to have known, she knew everything else."

Groose knew he probably looked like a madman at the moment but this was nothing like what he thought. He had been so sure they were reaching out for him just like he'd been searching for them. It didn't matter right now, though.

"We have to get back to the temple," he said. "That old lady will know why you don't remember me."

From the looks on their faces Groose might as well have been speaking another language. Link's grip on his sword hadn't loosened any, though it did stay low at his side, and Zelda's face held little more than pity for him. This was all wrong.

"What temple are you talking about?" Link asked. It might have been Groose's imagination, but it sounded almost like Link wanted to understand what was going on.

He felt the ache in his heart subside just a little. "The temple in the forest," he answered, gesturing back towards where he'd come from.

And those confused expressions were back again. "Uhh, there's no forest in that direction, just more canyon and then the sea," as she spoke Zelda looked over at the horizon, as if she could see the forest Groose was talking about if she tried hard enough.

"Besides," Link added, "I know for a fact that there is no temple in the forest."

Groose couldn't help the glare that he shot at Link, years of rivalry suddenly fresh in his mind. "I was there," he groused. "I saw it myself, I was inside of it. It's old and falling apart, but it's real."

"I live there, and I'm telling you, there is no temple." Groose didn't know if Link had ever really felt the same spark of rivalry that Groose did, but there was no mistaking the challenge in his voice, daring Groose to try and prove him wrong. "Now if you'll excuse us, I'm taking the princess to Ordon Village so we can figure out what to do about this demon man."

The formality surprised Groose, but he didn't dwell on it. He had to get them back to the forest and to Impa. What good was the help of those goddesses if he couldn't convince Link and Zelda that they all knew each other? They'd lead him to them and now he had nothing.

"You can't go," he insisted. "I let your goddesses lead me out here to find you two because I thought you would remember me like I remember you. Impa told me to trust them and that I would find you! She told me it was different this time, even though I don't know what that means and-"

"What did you say?" Link interrupted. He'd moved closer to Groose and reached up to grasp his bicep. "What did you just say?"

Groose looked down at him then over to Zelda, trying to figure out if she knew what was going on. Link's eyes were wide and his face had gotten pale. "About what?"

Link shook him a little. "The difference, what did she say about it?"

He was not following this conversation at all, but he answered Link's question, hoping it would gain him some trust. "Nothing really," he admitted. "It was the last thing she said before I came to find you. It's different this time."

There seemed to be some sort of inner debate going on with Link for a moment until he looked back up at Groose, determination burning in his eyes and sending a sharp jolt a familiarity through Groose. "Fine, I'll come with you." Before Groose even had a chance to enjoy the news Link turned back to Zelda. "Take Epona with you, she'll get you to safety."

"Excuse me?" Zelda looked taken aback by Link's statement, like she hadn't been planning on running off to the safety of a small, unknown town at all. "I'm coming with you."

Suddenly the pair of them were… well, Groose couldn't really call it arguing but they certainly weren't in agreement. Link insisted that Zelda taking refuge was the best plan, it would keep her safe and give her time to amass a counter strike while Zelda all but demanded that she go along with them to the temple. Watching them Groose forgot for a second that they didn't remember their past together. It was all so achingly familiar to him that he was smiling without even realizing it.

As nice as it was to allow himself to bury himself in these newly resurfaced memories they had places to be and he didn't know if those monsters had run off for good or to get back up. "Let her come," he said. "We need to get moving before those moblin come back and I need both of you there."

Zelda was the first to look over at him. "For what?"

Good question. Groose rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "I'm not actually sure, but there's a door in the temple that won't open unless all three of us are there."

"Well," Zelda practically chirped. "I guess I'm joining you after all."

"You believe him?" Link asked. "Just like that?"

With a sigh Zelda settled Link with a stern look, one that spoke of regality and command and Groose swore he saw something of the goddess she once was in it. "You have saved my life today and I feel that you're going to have a part in saving my kingdom as well. There are questions that need answers and if there is a chance that this woman and her temple have even one I'm going to find it."

Whatever Link heard or saw in Zelda in the moment had him nod in agreement, his expression tight and clearly displeased with how things were going, but determined to see them through all the same. He finally sheathed his sword and cast a single look at the pieces of his shattered shield and grabbed hold of his horse's reins.

Clapping his hands together, mostly trying to dispel the nervous energy that had suddenly crowded into him, Groose smiled. "My horse is waiting on the other side of the canyon, there should be a bridge yours can cross not too far off, if I remember correctly."

And with that they three of them set off. It was nothing like Groose had imagined, the feelings that he had when he dreamed of flying were absent, but a strange sort of excitement had bubbled up in him along with everything else. Impa would know how to bring their memories back, he told himself. She just had to.

* * *

**A/N:** I know some of you will have questions about the memories and all that jazz, and it will be explained in the next chapter, possibly two.

I'd also like to point out that this story takes place at the end of the timelines, post all games (this will also be explained in story, promise). The three branches of the time line all converge in one way or another to reach the point where this story begins. I figure it might be a bit easier to follow and understand if I at least point that out. If there are any other questions regarding anythign you find confusing about the fic feel free to comment, I will respond as best I can and hopefully be able to clear anything up.


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